The Bar was Loud (AU)
by X3
Summary: Answers the unasked question, "What if Dylan had left to be with Sarah"


Disclaimer: I own nothing and I am getting no money

Disclaimer:I own nothing and I am getting no money.( Are you noticing a trend in this area?)

A/N:Another part in the "The Bar Was Loud" Series

The bar was loud.The band in the corner played their instruments while their singer screamed as she bobbed her head wildly and gyrated her hips. It was so loud Beka could barely hear her own thoughts.This whole city was loud.It was a lousy, dirty, crowded, and loud city.Beka pushed through the dense wall of patrons and made her way to the bar.It took a few minutes to get the bartender's attention, but when she had it she ordered a vodka tonic. While she waited for her drink she looked out into the crowd.

They were just a bunch of losers trying to escape their lives for a little while.Of course that's why she was here too.She had been drinking heavily these last few weeks. Drinking didn't solve her problems, but it did make things more fun to look at.

"You're thinking about them again aren't you?"Sarah was lying next to him in the dim light.She knew he was thinking about the past, or the future, it was a little confusing.He was thinking about the Andromeda, 300 years in the future.

"Yeah" he admitted.She knew him all to well.What had happened when he left?Had the Maru just salvaged an empty vessel?If that was the case what had happened to Rommie? Had Harper died from his measles?Was Tyr still killing for a living?Beka rich? Had Rev built his hospital?Or maybe life had just gone on the way it had been, just without him.If it had, were they still rebuilding the Commonwealth?He got out of bed and started pulling on his uniform.It wasn't that he wasn't happy here; he loved Sarah and being here with her.But, he was worried about the future.He knew what was coming, Earth would be falling any day now.It was the end of the Commonwealth and the start of the Long Night.But, would the Commonwealth be restored one day?If things had continued without him after he came back here, maybe.If it was like he never existed, it would be a lot more than 300 years, if it even happened at all.He had shown his motley crew that life had, and could be better.They were used to living day-to-day, hand to mouth.Being on Andromeda had hopefully inspired them a little because for probably the first time in their lives, surviving was not the main thought on their mind.

"Going to Command?" Sarah asked

"You know me too well"

The normal night crew was working.Suddenly Perry was nearly on top of him.Perry was a human, a tall, kind of awkward, guy.Today he was really excited about something."That blonde really is genius!Space and time…" Perry tended to get excited easily, and when he got excited he tended to leave important gaps in what he was saying.For example, this time he had neglected to mention who, and what he was talking about.Now, he was halfway through a complex scientific explanation of something, though Dylan had no idea what.

"Let's start from the beginning Perry, what are you talking about?"

"I figured out how to send you back," he explained

"Let's try again, back where"

"Back to the future!"

"What?"

"Sir, we all know you want to get back there.I've been reviewing your report on how you got back, and all I heard while we were rescuing you, and I came up with how they sent you here.So now I can send you back!"Dylan wasn't sure how to react.Did he want to go back?

"Go Dylan" it was Sarah

"What?" he asked whirling to face his fiancée.

"You've been here a year, I've loved our time together, but a big part of you is still there.You have to go back."

Duplicating the Persiad /Harper technology had presented a challenge.Perry was pretty proud of himself though as Dylan said his good byes to the love of his life.Refusing to eavesdrop on this private moment he focused on the dials in front of him.They kept it brief, a few sweet words and a tender embrace.They kissed and whispered their last goodbyes.

Dylan stepped into position and waited.They were sending him back to the very moment he left, hopefully.He would remember his year here with Sarah, but his crew wouldn't even notice he had been gone.Well that's what the plan was.

Beka stumbled back to the Andromeda.She'd wound up having about 6 vodka tonics at the bar.Now she was barely able to make her way back to the ship.She was humming to herself as she opened the door and lurched through the opening and flat onto her face.She looked up and saw a ghost of the past.

"Dylan!" she gasped, not sure if he was really there or if it was the vodka playing with her mind.

This was not, exactly where he left.Holo-Rommie appeared next to him, and with a salute greeted him, "Welcome back Captain"

Beka was plastered and had just fallen at his feet."Yes Beka" he answered

"It's really you?"

"Yes Beka, what happened?" What was going on here?This wasn't how Beka acted.

"You F***ing bastard!" she yelled, still on the ground.Despite what she had said, she allowed him to help her up.

"Excuse me?"

"You left a year ago!"

"He left 11 months ago" pointed out Rommie

"Bite me computer b***h" Beka sure did curse a lot more.

"I'm sure you've handled everything all right.Where is everyone?"

"Puh" Beka spat"Where is everyone?Well, Tyr lasted about a week; he took almost all the food and medical supplies with him.Left us with almost nothing." 

"And the others?" 

" Let's see", she continued venomously,"Well, Rev left after Tyr.He felt the Divine wanted him to teach the Way to a prison colony we encountered.Oh yeah, did I mention Harper is dying?Yeah, the kid has been suffering horribly.He moans for hours on end, and it's driven me to drink.As you can see."

"Dying?"

"Yep, see, Rommie here had another, super fun personality.We didn't have your special High Guard codes and she dumped us chest high in Maggog territory before we shut her down.We were boarded and attacked.One of Harper's little toys did them in, but not before they laid into him pretty good."Dylan couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"When?"

"16 days ago, sir" supplied Rommie.She could tell what he was thinking, "Harper and, when not inebriated, Beka have been keeping me running and maintained." Rommie was even more formal than usual; it surprised Dylan.

"Wanna see what you abandoning us did?He's in the machine shop!"Beka was incredibly drunk and screaming now.

Trance sat in the machine shop with her friend.He was taking a break from fixing the weapons and was resting in her lap.The door slid open and on the other side was the last person she expected, Dylan Hunt!For his part, Dylan Hunt hadn't expected to see Harper so close to death. When he looked at his engineer all he could see was how young Harper was and the pain he was in.Leaning so close to Beka he could smell the vodka he asked, "Shouldn't he be on Med Deck?"

He was pale as death, his only color was the purple of his eyelids and his flushed cheeks.His breathing was labored and his eyes were closed. Trance was stroking his hot face with her gentle purple hand and then resting it on his chest.She could actually feel his heart racing through his soft cotton shirt."There's nothing we can do.The Maggog went straight through his chest. He lost too much blood, and he's got a serious infection.He'd rather work till he drops than dwell in bed alone."

"Still, look.."

"Hey! Where were you?You don't seem to be in charge, I am!And I say let Harper die where he wants to, it's the very least we can do for him" then she lost her balance and fell on her rear.

Trance had been taking care of her friend constantly since the attack.She sat with him while he worked, made sure he ate, slept in his quarters at night, and talked to him when he was awake to distract him from his pain.He never asked her to, he rarely asked for anything.But, she knew he didn't have much time left and desperately wanted ease his suffering.

"Dylan, You're back!"Trance could see the possibilities unfolding before her when she saw him in the doorway."Get up Harper" He opened his eyes slowly but didn't get up.

"Boss?" he croaked at the sight of Dylan

"Yeah Harper?"

"You really here?"

"Yes Harper?"

"Too bad"

"Dylan, we need to send you back to when you left"

"I tried and wound up here"

"Well, you didn't have Harper last time."Harper was on his feet again

"True babe" he groaned a bit "So very true"

He would much rather work than wait to die.It hurt less when he was working.He depended on Trance more than he would have liked.But, his friend's cheerful attitude never wavered.It had been a little while since he'd done this time travel thing, luckily he was a genius.He thought back to the last time he'd performed this miracle.If all went well he'd get a second chance, a do over on the last crummy year.Maybe he would see his next birthday.

"Can I get a melon and a marker?"

"Sure Harper"she scurried off to get the fruit

Harper was not alone long.Dylan plopped down next to him."Are you all right?"

"Not at all boss, but I'm hoping you can change that."

"Has this year really been that bad?"

"Well, I am dying.But, Beka's pretty drunk right now.I think she's exaggerating.It could be worse.Of course, keep in mind I am heavily medicated so my judgment may be impaired."A melon appeared on the machine.Trance returned with a big green melon.Harper gladly accepted it and placed it on the machine.A moment latter, it disappeared."Ready to go" announced the genius 

Dylan got in position yet again, 4th time's the charm he told himself.Before him stood his remainingcrew, a drunk angry Beka, a Rommie guilty about what her program had done, Harper had been forced to lay down on the deck and Trance held his hand. "Bye" the boy said weakly

"Fix this" ordered Beka

"Please" added Rommie.Then he felt himself being pulled away as the world grew dim.

Dylan looked around again.He was standing in front of the screen bearing the disappointed image of a healthy Harper explaining only he could come back.Sarah was behind him, hoping for the decision he had made last time.But he knew better now, he had to go back; restore the Commonwealth.He turned and said goodbye to his love yet again.This was getting to be too much; he kept it brief so the memories of their year together wouldn't keep him here again.

Then, he was back on Andromeda again.Completely emotionally drained.His crew thought he was devastated over losing Sarah again.It was true, saying goodbye to her was one of the hardest things he had ever done.But it was also hard to see the barely alive Harper, still working to keep Andromeda running.Just waiting for him to drop and die.He couldn't tell them what had happened.But, he wouldn't forget. There really wasn't anything he could do.But, he'd do the only thing he could think of, he'd keep working on gaining Tyr's acceptance.Changing the past gave him such a headache.


End file.
